How Punta Gorda parents, kids are feeling about the city’s mask mandate in schools

Families are soaking up time together before the first day of school.

Ashley Bradfield’s family is taking advantage of the great outdoors since masks are required inside across the City of Punta Gorda.

“With this new mandate, I just ordered masks online. We will see how they do,” she said.

“There’s nothing to prevent us, as I understand it, from enforcing it within the schools,” said Punta Gorda city attorney, David Levin.

“They wouldn’t do good,” said Bradfield of her children wearing masks at school. “They would just play with it. It’s going to be distracting.”

But 8-year-old Joshua Mehu, who attends private school outside of the city, isn’t too worried.

“It will be normal. Normal means I actually do my work normally and I do it faster than everyone else,” he said.

Parents and children are both split on the idea, but open to alternatives.

“Maybe if there is a way to wear it only at certain times like when you have to get really close to someone, whether it is working in partners or groups,” suggested Charlotte High School student, Darleen Leeper.

“Maybe to teach them more of the hand hygiene,” said Bradfield.

Even with hand washing, social distancing and possible masks, Bradfield fears the inevitable. “We are probably all going to get coronavirus,” she said, worried while taking precautions to stay healthy and safe.

Charlotte County public school’s superintendent plans to host a virtual meeting with his staff Friday morning. The district says masks in schools will be part of that discussion.